Chapter 37: Lmao, Danzo

Shimura Danzo was very angry.

People always hate it when others talk behind their back.

Even Shimura Danzo was no exception, especially since the person talking about him was Sarutobi Hiruzen, the very person Danzo disliked the most in his life.

When Danzo heard that Hiruzen had mentioned him to Akihara Kagura, he didn't even care to continue brainwashing Akihara Kagura. He just wanted to know what the old man had said.

"The Third Hokage didn't say anything..."

Akihara Kagura seemed a bit intimidated by Shimura Danzo's gaze and quickly covered up with clumsy language to prevent his boss from getting too angry.

"Tell me everything exactly as it happened!"

Shimura Danzo saw through Akihara Kagura's thoughts and said sternly: "Don't hide anything about tonight's events, that monkey is always hypocritical, and it's easy to be deceived by him..."

"Yes."

Akihara Kagura slowly nodded.

"After passing the second round of the Chunin Exam, it was already late. On my way back, I encountered the Third Hokage and a kid named Uzumaki Naruto..."

"The Third Hokage wanted me to go fishing with them. I was worried that Lord Danzo would be angry, and I just wanted to hurry back to the base...

"The Third Hokage wouldn't allow me to return and told me that in the village, even Lord Danzo must obey his orders..."

As Akihara Kagura spoke, he seemed a bit sad and uneasy: "I'm worried that defying the Third Hokage's orders might cause trouble for Lord Danzo..."

"Hmph..."

Shimura Danzo snorted coldly upon hearing this and said coldly: "From now on, you don't have to worry about causing trouble for me. There's no one in the ninja world who can trouble me."

"Yes."

Akihara Kagura quickly agreed.

Regardless of whether the boss was bragging or not, it's best to remember what he promised, so as not to be blamed as a subordinate when trouble arises in the future.

"By the way."

Akihara Kagura keenly noticed that his boss seemed on the verge of getting angry, so he temporarily reversed the order of things, saying what his boss liked to hear.

"The Third Hokage also said that he and Lord Danzo are old friends…"

"The Third Hokage seemed to have mentioned some past events, something about the Hokage, but I didn't quite understand…"

Akihara Kagura rubbed his brow, recalling and inadvertently shifting the blame: "Because Uzumaki Naruto, that little kid, was always making noise about wanting to become the Hokage, I might not have heard everything accurately, and I'm not sure if I remembered it wrong…"

"Just tell me."

Shimura Danzo didn't suspect that Akihara Kagura would lie.

That little kid, Uzumaki Naruto, the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, had indeed been indoctrinated with the ideology of the Hokage by Sarutobi Hiruzen since he was young, always clamoring about becoming the Hokage...

Many people knew about this.

"The Third Hokage said…"

"The position of Hokage is not something to be fought over, but it requires carrying the hopes and recognition of the entire village, and the responsibility of protecting the village…"

"Even the Third Hokage mentioned that Lord Danzo once wanted to compete with him to become the Hokage, but being a Hokage requires bearing the responsibility of many, and Lord Danzo felt he wasn't up to the task and responsibility of being Hokage, and later gave up on the idea…"

Shimura Danzo's face suddenly fell.

That old fool Hiruzen, it was one thing to instill the Will of Fire in the village's kids, but this time he even took the opportunity to criticize himself!

Who says I don't have the capability and responsibility to be the Hokage?

Just let me be the Hokage, and I can take on the responsibility of Konoha, and do it even better than that old monkey!

"I got a little angry and had an argument with them…"

Akihara Kagura cautiously glanced at Shimura Danzo and continued: "I told them that Konoha could be without anyone, but absolutely cannot be without Lord Danzo. Only Lord Danzo can become the next Hokage of Konoha."

"...Hmm."

Shimura Danzo nodded slightly.

This is the moment tonight when Shimura Danzo is most satisfied. These words had always been what Shimura Danzo wanted to say himself, but he dared not say them to anyone face-to-face.

"Go on."

Shimura Danzo wanted to hear more.

"I remember after I finished speaking..."

The expression on Akihara Kagura's face was a bit strange, he continued: "The Third Hokage's face seemed a bit scary, but he quickly started smiling again..."

"Hmph, still so hypocritical!"

Shimura Danzo immediately criticized his old friend.

That damn Monemy, hearing from Akihara Kagura that he would be the next Hokage and being so unhappy about it, he never really considered letting me take the position of Hokage!

"What else did you say?"

Shimura Danzo looked at Akihara Kagura, who paused a bit, and continued: "Hiruzen... didn't talk about anything else? Like, did he ever mention who in the village could take on the responsibility of Hokage?"

"..."

Akihara Kagura felt that Shimura Danzo wanted to know a bit too much.

Sometimes, a superior might become curious about some matters, and this curiosity could cause trouble for subordinates, so it was necessary to find a way to stop it in time.

And moreover...

The more you say.

The easier it is to reveal flaws.

Most importantly, what needed to be done today was not to sow discord, but to remind this superior that he still held a crucial leverage in his hands.

Akihara Kagura wanted to tell Shimura Danzo that as long as he had this leverage, there was no need to doubt his loyalty to him after joining the Anbu.

"The Third didn't mention those things."

"And it's a bit strange..."

Akihara Kagura furrowed his little brow, looking a bit puzzled: "There was some chaos tonight, maybe it was Uzumaki Naruto, that kid making noise. I don't know why I ended up revealing my own family secrets to the Third Hokage..."

"What!"

Shimura Danzo's face immediately became tense.

"He was still guessing how I found you!"

The old man finally became a bit restless, cursing under his breath, "That damn monkey actually used interrogation techniques on you, trying to find out your origin. If he finds out..."

"I only mentioned that I was from an orphanage."

Akihara Kagura immediately comforted his superior and took control of the conversation again, "The Third Hokage already knows that I am a child from the orphanage, I was initially captured for a Wood Release human experiment..."

"That's good."

Shimura Danzo slowly nodded, his expression eased, and he quietly observed Akihara Kagura, finally recalling an important matter.

This kid couldn't possibly betray him!

Because this kid wasn't actually a child from Konoha orphanage, but an experimental subject from Orochimaru's side, he held his lifeline that could threaten him at any moment.

"Go rest."

Shimura Danzo waved his hand at Akihara Kagura, his attitude turning cold, even returning to the aloof demeanor he had at their first meeting.

"I believe..."

"You won't disappoint me in the Anbu."

"Don't forget one thing, I was the one who brought you to Konoha."